San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-12-10
A STATESMAN SPEAKS.

The clear cut statements OF James q.
Blaine, the great republican statesman,
as given 10 the interview csbled yester-
dsy from Paris. have attracted unusual
attention and have been very widely
read and commented upon. They show
In strong relief the attitude assumed by
the president 10 his hostility TO anything
that sayOrs ever so remotely OF prO!ec-
tion to American industries. The dis
tinctiOn is made very broad and plain
bet ween the policy which would levy h
tax on domestic produce to create rev.
enue, and the policy which would levy
that tax in the shape of customs duties
on foreign imports. The latter would
be protection, and this Cleveland repu-
dates; the former Ia non-prOtective and
destructive OF American Industries in
Its tendencies, and this the president
advocates. Mr.. Blaine has not hesitated
about putting himself on record as de-
oidedly favoringa repeal Of the tobacco
tax, which bears so heavily upon the
whole people, and he would do 1t at
once. He would do 1t as a benefit to the
95 out OF every 100 working men
who use tobacco, and who pay the heavy
tax levied upon this article out OF their
own hard earned wages.
Equally decisive and incisive are his
views upon the whisky tax which
he would not remit because he does not
think that cheapening whisky would be
q beneficial thing for the country in
general, nor for the working man in
particular. He would raise as much
revenue as possible from whisky and
use IL In coast Notifications. A method
OF employing the surplus very ably and
ssgsciously presented by Samuel j.
Tildeu some three years since. Mr..
Blaine goes the whole hog on whisky
tax, and would tax it so long as there is
any whisky to tax, and through it and
by it he would Tighten taxes on real
estate. This he modified so as not to
include tax on slohOhOl used in mechsn-
lcAl anu COemlChl pursuits
His objections to the presidents wool
policy are as vital as to the other recon-
mendatiOns Of the message. 1t can only
be carried out, as every one knows who
has studied the matter closely, at the
expense Of the labor OF this country.
Remove the protective duty and Amer
lea must produce as cheaply as Europe
or import from Europe. These are the
only alternatives. The whole ground Of
supply and demand, both as TO raw pro-
duct and agricultural supplies, was gone
over in the interview and on all points
clear and convincing ex-
position of the doctrines Of protection
as taught by the republican party, fully
set forth.
Again, and again, did the great Maine
statesman emphasize the distinction be.
tween the direct internal tax and the
indirect lax levied upon foreign manu-
fscture. The false representations
made by the comparison Of present con-
ditions with those Of 1916, when there
was no direct internal tax. were ex-
posed and the real snimus OF the at
tack upon American wool and American
labor set forth. At every point to which
the interrogations were conducted, Mr.
Blaine was found not only fully prepar-
ed to give reason for the hope that
was 10 him, but he did SO with such a
broad and ststesmsn.like recognition OF
all the wants and interests OF the oOun-
try that It cannot but appeal to the
strongest feeling Of all sections, as q
statement made for the whole country
and considering, in its comprehensive
grasp, all sections Of the country and
all GLASSES Of the people. The specious
argument for the free importation of
raw material was also considered. and
It's effect In destroying tie production
OF raw material at home and deoreRs-